Seduced to the Dark Side

Pete Howlett

Pete Howlett

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I have 2 personal guitar projects slatted for late in the year and now a third which is a client commission. This is an extrordinary excursion for me because I vowed never to make a comission guitar again. However there is a good story to this one:

In 2008 Jack Rose contacted me thanking me for the Weissenborn I made that he bought in Michigan in the late 1990s. You can see and hear Jack playing it here:



Before I could get to meet him he died at the tragically young age of 38 in 2009. I keep getting people requesting me to make them a guitar like his and have resisited or set a ridiculous price on it.... I accepted the comission this time because I want to make these Hawaiian related instruments again. Not got the deposit yet but as soon as this is sorted I will let you know that Pete Howlett has been fully seduced to the dark side again and will be making Weissenborn style lap steel guitars again :)

Looking now for koa Weissenborn sets. Any Ideas. Will also at the same time get my Weissenlapuke done in honour of this deviation from the path!
 
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I have noticed one or two young uke players in my area who are now developing an intrest in guitar as well as uke's..even tho' they have only played uke so far..takes me back to the 1950's when loads of ukulele playing lads took up guitars to form skiffle groups and then went on to rock-n-roll and so on.. is history repeating ? :D
 
What are you doing, flirting with guitars again! There are plenty o' geetars. Go back, ye and make another harp uke! I command thee!

No seriously, I'm sure it will be great and there are so many good kinds of chordophones that need making. I am entranced by Venezuelan style cuatros, though I don't like the look of their Puerto Rican brethren for no good reason. And a lap guitar--well, it IS Hawaiian after all. It's not the "dark side" really--just a bit shady.
 
Bruce Creps at Notable Tonewoods usually has koa Weissenborn sets. Good man to deal with, too. He's in Washington state, though.
 
Good luck Pete. I've started mine after the new year. I've had the plans for years but I promised myself I would learn to play the steel guitar before I built one. I sure hope it's not as hard to build as it is to play! Luckily there are some good steel players here to learn from. Having learned "Harbor Lights" I've gotten the green light to begin. I think a couple of side sound ports on the treble side might be a good idea.
 
Chuck, I've never understood why Weissenguy guitar makers do not do that side port thing you suggest. I should mention that to Don Young at National Resophonic, too.
 
You'll ace it Chuck - it is a very easy build. I will be using a hybrid Larrivee bracing pattern rather than the Wiessenborn one which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Fronts were very thin too - able to do so with this bracing pattern. You get that 'empty' but rich sound if you make the front really tight which is what Jean's bracing pattern does...
 
I'd have to agree there Chuck. Perhaps just me, but I'd be building mine out of Blackwood for a fraction of the price. Not Koa, but it does come from a really big island in the Pacific. This is one I did a few years ago now.
blackwood wiessenborn.jpg
 
What I thought. Steve's grading is optimistic... I have a 12" plank coming from hawaii hopefully this week which I had earmarked for one piece tenor backs and fronts so I'll prbably dig into that though I am reluctant to do so.
 
UK Paulie said:
They sure do! Those $750 sets are never aaaaa....
Click to expand...

Oh well, we may as well start here.....

"Inlay designs on my web site are the sole property of Chuck Moore and the client who commissioned the instrument and are not to be used in avatar pics. I (we) do not condone, or authorize any reproduction of these designs without prior written consent."

Thanks Allen. :)
 
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Pete, in the classified section over at the OLF, there are 8 six piece unfigured koa weiss sets up for sale at $150 each. Plus shipping of course.
 
Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
Oh well, we may as well start here.....

"Inlay designs on my web site are the sole property of Chuck Moore and the client who commissioned the instrument and are not to be used in avatar pics. I (we) do not condone, or authorize any reproduction of these designs without prior written consent."

Thanks Allen. :)
Click to expand...

Hmmmm....I wonder if I will get a notice from Highland Park for my avatar?
 
Funny that you started this thread. I have a friend who asked me to build a lap steel for him, just like his current Bakelite ric. What is with my friends? First, one of them tells me to replace his 12 fret Martin Tenor (no pressure there, right?), and now a Ric.

That said, anyone mind sharing what pickup and electronics would work?

Aaron
 
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